schroder



(No Model.)

A. A. SQHRODER.

TOBOGGAN. No. 364,306. Patented June 7, 1887.

N PETERS. Photn-Likhographer. Walhingum DC.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANSON A. SGHRODER, OF VAN HORN, IOWVA, ASSIGNOR. OF ONE-HALF TO A. H.SOHRODER, OF SAME PLACE.

TOBOGGAN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 364,306, dated June 7,1887.

Application filed February 17, 1%87. Serial No. 227,892. (No model.)

The invention consists, essentially, in forming the toboggan of two thinrunners suitably connected and stayed; in providing the same with anelevated seat-board; in so arranging and constructing the parts thatthey may move upon each other to admit of the requisite flexibility; inproviding the runners with lateral guards to prevent contact of thehands or other parts of the body, or of the body of the toboggau withthe sideof the chute; in a novel arrangement of the side rail, and inthe general construction and adaptation of the device to the endsintended, as will be hereinafter fully set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 represents a side elevation ofthe invention; Fig. 2, a planview of the same; Fig. 3, a front elevation of 0 the same, and Fig. 4 arear elevation of the section indicated by the line'y z of Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The lightness, flexibility, and beauty of the common toboggan are offsetby several undesirable qualities which it is the designof this inventionto remove. Chief among these are the excessive friction opposed to theice by the broad bottom, the uncomfortable position of 0 the riderincident to its peculiar construction, and its common liability toinjure the hands of the rider by contact with the side of the chute orslide.

these and other respects the following means 5 are employed:

. A A are two thin broad runners, preferably,

though not necessarily, piano-convex in crosssection, as shown, theobject of this formation being, of course, to decrease the friction. In

50 practice I make these runners about one-quar- To improve the tobogganinter the entire width of the toboggan, though this is largely amatterof taste. They should, however, be made thin enough to admit ofthat flexibility which is a valuable feature of the toboggan. Vhendesigned for use in a chute, 1 they may be curved at each end, as shownin Fig. 1; but for ordinary coasting the rear end is preferably leftstraight, as in Fig. 2, so that the steersman may occupy that position.The runners are set some distance apart, say about (0 twice their ownwidth. In practice I draw the ends of the curves together, as shown, andfasten them in this position by a suitable stay,

b. The'efifect of this is to truss the parts in a measure, and thusmaterially strengthen the to- (5 boggan, as well as to imparta novel andpleas- 1 ing appearance to the same. It is not, however, absolutelynecessary that this should be done, since the curve may be brought backparallel with the runner and connected in that position with atransverse stay or brace in substantially the same manner.

The runners are connected at proper intervals byknees D D D, which maybe of wood, in the nature of sled-knees, but are preferably 7 5 made ofiron or steel, the latter being repre sented in the drawings. These arefastened to the runners by suitable rivets, bolts, or screws, asindicated in Fig. 4. It is desirable to make the middle knee, D,somewhat heavier and stronger than the others, as it is designed toconnect the seat-board B to this knee alone, allowing it to simply restupon the others. The effect of this is to impart the desired flexibilityto the toboggan, the seatboard being 8 5 free to slip endwise, accordingto the twist or curvature of the runners. As will be seen, theseat-board is consider-ab] y elevated above the runners and occupiesaposition about midway between them. The object of this is to go make thetoboggan more comfortable to sit on than the common one, the rider inthis case sitting astride the seat, or sidewise thereon, and resting thefeet on the runners at the side.

A side rail, 0, serves the double purpose of 5 a hand-rail for thesteersman and a foot-rail for the others. For the same reason statedabove, this railshould be fastened only to the middle bracket or knee,and be free to slip in its other bearings, as shown. me

Instead of the cord or like device commonl y used for holding the curvedend of the toboggan in position, I connect the ends of the runners inthis device with the seat-board by means of light angle-irons a a. Thesemay be separate irons, as shown, hooking under each side of the board,or a continuous strap,asindicated by the dotted line in Fig. 3. In thesame manner the seat-board is loosely connected with the terminal kneesby longitudinal straps c c. The whole toboggan is thus bound seeurel y,but flexibly, together.

Near the ends of each runner are attached lateral guards E E, whichproject beyond the line of anyother part of the toboggan and prevent thesame from running afoul of the side of the chute or other obstruction,thus preventing the injury to the toboggan or its occupant abovereferred to. The form of this, as well as other parts, may be varied, ofcourse, from that shown Without departing from the spirit of theinvention,

While Iregard the device in the form shown as best adapted to the endsin view, I do not regard each part as indispensable, nor the particularform or material as necessary to the operativeness of the invention.Thus, instead of the runners being separated, as shown, the elevatedseat which I claim may be used in connection with a solid bottom; so,also, the rail or the lateral guards might be dispensed with withoutaffectingthe other features of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, whatI claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a toboggan or coaster,'the combina 'tion of broadvertically-flexible runners or body, knees adapted to support anelevated seat-board, and a seat-board having a fixed connection with butone of its supports, substantiall y as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In atoboggan or coaster, the combination of two broadvertically-flexible runners, scpaall but one of them, whereby thetoboggan is made flexible, substantially as specified.

5. In atoboggan or coaster, the combination of the runners A A, knees DD D, the seatboard B, fastened rigidly to the knee D, and looselysecured to the terminal knees by the strap 0, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

6. In a toboggan or coaster, the combination of the seatboard B,permanently but loosely mounted on the knees D D, the curved runners AA, and the keepers a a, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

7. In atoboggan or coaster, the combination of the runners,substantially as specified, having inwardly-converging curved ends, acon necting-piece, b,havingkeepers a a, and a seatboard mountedsubstantially as described,and adapted to slip endwise in said keepers,sub stantially as set forth.

8. In a toboggan or coaster, the combination of the vertically-flexiblerunners A A, the knees I) D D,the elevated central seat-board, B,fastened rigidly to only one of said knees, and the rail or fenderG,si1nilarl y secured, su bstantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ANSON A. SGHRODER.

Witnesses:

E. F. JACKSON, WILLIAM CHAMPIER.

